Moments earlier, a livestreamed Michelin ceremony had announced that his Miami restaurant, Mutra, had become the first kosher restaurant ever awarded a Michelin star, long regarded as the highest honor in the restaurant industry.
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US treasury official raises alarm on environmental risks from illicit transfers of Iranian oil off Malaysia
- A U.S. treasury official has warned of environmental risks from Iranian oil transfers off Malaysia.
- Brian Nelson, the U.S. Treasury undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, voiced Iran’s revenue generation through the sale of illicit oil in East Asia and the associated risks.
- Concerns were raised about Malaysia potentially becoming a financial hub for Hamas, prompting calls to prevent this.
A U.S. treasury official warned of environmental risks from illicit transfers of Iranian oil off Malaysia, news portal Malaysiakini reported on Thursday, as the United States narrows its focus on financing for militant groups routed through Southeast Asia.
The United States sees Iran’s capacity to move its oil as being reliant on service providers based in Malaysia, a senior U.S. treasury official said this week.
The official also said the United States was attempting to prevent Malaysia from becoming a jurisdiction where the Palestinian militant group Hamas could raise and transfer funds.
BIDEN ‘DOESN’T HAVE THE STOMACH’ TO GO AFTER IRAN’S OIL, SAYS GEN. KEANE: ‘IT’S ALL ABOUT CHINA’
Brian Nelson, the U.S. Treasury undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said one of the main ways Iran raised money was through the sale of illicit oil to buyers in East Asia, Malaysiakini reported.
The Port of Kharg Island Oil Terminal is seen in Iran on March 12, 2017. A U.S. treasury official has warned of environmental risks from illicit transfers of Iranian oil off Malaysia. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
“Many of these shipments traverse the waters around Malaysia and are loaded onto vessels of questionable legitimacy that may also pose major environmental and safety risks,” he was reported as saying.
Nelson expressed concern for any parties providing “ship-to-ship” transfers of illicit oil as such manoeuvres could lead to accidents or oil spills that threatened Malaysia’s coasts.
The U.S. Treasury has also seen an uptick in attempts by Iran and its proxies, including Hamas, to raise and move money in Southeast Asia, Nelson added.
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He urged those who wish to support humanitarian assistance to Gaza to donate to reputable charities to ensure the funds were not diverted elsewhere.
Nelson and Neil MacBride, Treasury General Counsel, are on a visit to Singapore and Malaysia this week to advance efforts in countering financing and revenue generation by Iran and its proxies.
The office of Malaysia’s prime minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
But Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said he conveyed the country’s stance regarding sanctions to Nelson, during a meeting on Thursday. Saifuddin said Malaysia would comply with United Nations sanctions but would not recognize unilaterally applied sanctions.
He told reporters he also informed Nelson that Malaysia had investigated and taken action against an organization with suspected links to Palestine. He did not name the organization.
More than 100 people gathered Friday night at a high school near the sealed‑off blast zone to honor the victims of the deadly explosion at The Clyde apartments in Oak Cliff.
The vigil – filled with hymns, prayers, and candles – brought together neighbors, local leaders, and pastors, many of whom were personally connected to those who died.
Just down the street, the debris field marks where three people were killed and five others injured when an explosion and fire tore through the complex earlier in the day.
Remembering Sylvia Collins
Among those honored was Sylvia Collins, a Democratic Party precinct chair known for her energy, advocacy, and signature raised‑fist rally pose.
State Rep. Cassandra Garcia‑Hernandez reflected on the loss, saying she couldn’t imagine taking another “fist‑up photo” with Collins.
State Sen. Royce West urged the community to remember Collins by continuing the work she championed.
Authorities have not yet released the names of the other two victims, believed to be a young woman and her toddler.
Search and Recovery Complete, Cause Still Unknown
Dallas Fire‑Rescue Chief Justin Ball confirmed that the search and recovery phase is complete, though he declined to comment on whether construction crews digging near the property may have struck a natural gas line before the blast.
Ball also defended the actions of firefighters who were on scene for up to 10 minutes before the explosion without ordering evacuations. He said crews first had to locate the source of the gas odor, secure a water supply, and gear up before they could begin clearing the building.
Lawsuit Filed Against Atmos Energy
One survivor has already filed a lawsuit against Atmos Energy, accusing the utility of failing to properly monitor for gas leaks. Attorney Sadi Antonmattei‑Goitia said incidents like this “don’t happen without bad decisions being made.”
Atmos did not respond to questions about the lawsuit but issued a statement saying the company’s “hearts go out to the people who were tragically lost, their families, and everyone who has been impacted.”
As golden confetti rained down around him Thursday, Israeli chef Raz Shabtai broke down in tears and was embraced by his cheering staff.
“It’s a moment of joy, it’s a moment of pride, it’s a moment of relief, it’s a moment of confirmation,” Shabtai told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency Friday. “It’s not just about Mustra getting that star, but it’s about the entire Jewish community getting that, and I felt a lot of responsibility.”
Shabtai, who has worked in kitchens across New York and Israel, opened Mutra in February 2025, naming the kosher eatery after his Jerusalem-born grandmother whose cooking he said heavily inspires its menu.
“I really like to call the restaurant Jerusalem cuisine versus Mediterranean and Middle Eastern or Israeli or stuff like that, because the flavors that I’m trying to bring to the table, it’s flavors that came from memories and visiting in the market with my grandma,” Shabtai said. “I have to be very loyal to what my grandma fed me.”
A breakthrough for kosher cuisine
A description of Mutra on the Michelin website praised the restaurant’s “show-stopping plate of beets in a pool of ajo blanco and topped with beetroot sorbet” and “signature lamb kebab with smoked aubergine cream and tomato oil.”
“Israeli Chef Raz Shabtai has brought his take on Middle Eastern cuisine to Miami,” the Michelin inspectors wrote. “Named for his grandmother, this is a place where snagging a seat at the chef’s counter is a must.”
The award places Mutra among the world’s most celebrated restaurants and marks a breakthrough for kosher cuisine, which operates under strict dietary rules. For Shabtai, who has kept kosher for more than a decade, the award proved that culinary excellence can thrive under those constraints.
“Kosher is a beautiful spiritual way of me to bond with God, and the limitation that he gave me, but yet to do amazing good food that everybody can eat,” Shabtai said.
The recognition arrived after months of suspense. Shabtai said that Michelin inspectors visited the restaurant several times before sending an email in February requesting information and photos about the establishment, a sign he said alerted them that they were under consideration.
Making history for the kosher world
For Noa Figari, Mutra’s director of operations, who joined the team after first working as Shabtai’s real estate agent to find the Miami location, the announcement on Thursday was a “release.”
“All the hard work that we put has been, you know, validated,” Figari said. “We carry a responsibility not only just for Raz’s cuisine, but for the whole entire Jewish community and kosher world we made history.”
Looking ahead, Shabtai said he hoped the achievement would inspire other kosher chefs.
“Be proud of where you’re coming from, get connected to those roots that you have,” Shabtai said. “Sometimes it’s not going to be a smooth sail. It’s okay, learn how to fix it, but believe in yourself. Don’t ever compromise, and don’t let other people compromise you.”
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Travelers who regularly park at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport are getting new options, and airport officials say it should be faster and easier to find a spot.
Airport leaders on Thursday unveiled the new South Parking Deck, which adds 6,429 spaces in the deck itself and 1,197 additional spaces in the South Economy Lot.
Officials say the deck is designed to cut down on the time drivers spend circling for parking. The facility includes a space guidance system that uses red and green lights to show where spots are open.
The deck also connects to the South Terminal area via a pedestrian bridge. Travelers should be able to park and walk to the ticket counters in under 10 minutes.
Security upgrades were also part of the project. Officials say the facility includes expanded camera coverage across all seven floors, with the system overlaid with artificial intelligence technology to help monitor the deck.
“With the red light green light system, the parking guidance system where you don’t have to drive around looking for a vehicle, it should take you a fraction of the time that it would take you if that wasn’t in place,” said Ricky Smith, general manager at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
The opening comes as airport parking remains more expensive following last year’s rate hike. Daily parking for the decks is $30. Hourly parking costs $10 an hour, up from $3 before last spring.
City and airport officials touted the new deck as another step toward keeping the world’s busiest airport moving efficiently, saying Atlanta should lead in innovation all the way down to how efficient parking is.
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